This guide is being offered to help The Concealed Weapons Permit - or Carry Permit holder, determine which of the many styles of holsters available today will work for them under most circumstances - this is written primarily for Civilians and applys to the every day guy - not the combat trained professional or body guard crowd.

Inside the waistband clip on type, open top holster

Easily the most common holster used for CC (Concealed Carry). Inside the waistband, clip on holsters ,utilize a metal or plastic clip that goes over the users belt or clips to the waistband of the users pants. This type of holster is tucked INSIDE the users pants and normally only the clip and a small portion of the top of the holster shows. This holster is designed to be worn this way and IS NOT appropriate for outside strong side - or outside the waistband carry. The user should wear a belt to properly secure the holster and insure the weapon can be drawn without the holster coming with it . The most comfortable holsters of this type are suede or Nylon - they are also the hardest to use as they tend to collapse after the guns drawn and make re-holstering difficult. Nylon or suede holsters tend to be less than attractive in their appearance and they have a fairly short lifespan requiring replacement annually or sooner if worn daily.

 Top grain Leather products Hold up well , tend to be attractive, and most are designed with a reinforced upper portion to allow easy re-holstering of the weapon. Top grain leather holsters do have a break in period - like a new pair of leather shoes they are just "not right" untill they have some use. Additionally - just like a new pair of shoes or boots - they should feel a little "tight" at first while the break in period begins - If a Leather holster is not "tight" when new it is probably made incorrectly and will not retain the weapon properly over time. Inside the waistband holsters come with and without thumbreaks or retention straps  - these items are normally not needed to properly retain a weapon with a well made form fitted leather holster - they are a bit of help with nylon but again, not mandatory. Most inside the waistband holsters require the user to untuck or partially untuck their shirt or wear a jacket to facilitate concealment. There are some newer Nylon holsters on the market called "shirt tuck" holsters that allow a shirt to tuck over the gun while inside the waistband. This type of holster does not facilitate the fast acquisition of a firearm and tends to defeat the purpose of having it to an extent.

Belt slide or Belt holsters - are the next most common holsters used for concealed carry. Belt slide holsters are made in leather , nylon, suede, plastic and several synthetic (pleather like) products. Most belt slide holsters are designed for "strong side carry" - ie Right handed shooter - gun on right side. These holsters are available in small light weight models that only cover the trigger portion of the weapon,  all the way to full cover holsters, that cover the entire gun. The belt slide holsters tend to be less costly than their inside the pants counterparts and work well where "deep Concealment" is not a requirement. They do allow fast access to the weapon and are of the oldest holster designs made.

SOB or MOB Holsters - Small of the back or Middle of the back  holsters are popular with buyers. This is an easy and natural way to conceal a gun when standing but is uncomfortable and down right worthless when sitting or driving. NO COMPETENT weapons instructor would ever recommend this type of holster over a strong side carry unit, simply because it is difficult at best to access your weapon and takes additional time to bring it on target. Additionally it is hard to retain a weapon carried like this in a scuffle and nearly impossible to draw a gun from, on the ground. Additionally , and MOST importantly, a chunk of metal, like a gun, carried directly over your spine, is a recipe for disaster. No competent and well trained Police Officer, Corrections Officer, or other Law Enforcement official with any experience will carry a weapon in this position, or even their handcuffs. The amount of pounds or pressure it takes to break your spine is significantly less than the pounds generated from a fall to the ground with a chunk of metal on top of your spine.   This user considers this type of holster to be "TV nonsense" and while we sell them - we do not recommend them.

Ankle Holsters - Are made in leather or nylon - they are called "bonded" or NOT. An ankle holster has its place in certain environments and the design on these varies according to user needs. First - a bonded ankle holster is one that has an additional strap that goes around your calf as well - these are made permanently attached or removeable - the strap is absolutely mandatory if your going to be running with the holster on your ankle. Bonded rigs are normally reserved for duty use i.e. back up weapons for police or deep cover agents. Normal ankle holsters strap around your lower leg without the "bonded" calf strap and come in a variety of styles. Again - Leather is the most durable, best looking and long lasting BUT also tends to be the heaviest. Nylon ankle rigs come with or without elastic leg straps - they almost all attach with Velcro and they are durable enough and light weight. Weight is VERY VERY important when choosing an ankle rig - equally as important is material and length of wear. Ask yourself , How many Hours am I planning on wearing this holster? If the answer is in excess of 4 hours ,up to a full day, I would probably look at a leather unit lined in sheepskin - the sheepskin will be comfortable against your skin for all day use in any climate and while these tend to be VERY expensive, they are the most comfortable rigs there are. Ankle carry under 4 hours can be accomplished with a light weight nylon rig that has no lining. The nylon rigs will irritate your skin after a full days wear and tend to become uncomfortable - especially in hot or humid climates. KEEP IN MIND there is NO harder place to draw a weapon from than an ankle holster - for this reason they should be reserved for back ups, or times where deep concealment is mandatory and fast draw is not ( a bank employee where they are not allowed to have a weapon for example). BE very careful with ankle rigs - More than any other holster, they are the easiest to forget you have a gun on and can really place you in an embarrassing or possibly criminal situation without your even thinking of it.

Shoulder Rigs - Shoulder rigs are also made in Leather or Nylon - the same rules apply for your choice of material. Leather is the most comfortable and will last you a lifetime. Nylon is less comfortable - looks cheap and is flimsy at best. The ONLY advantage of a nylon product is the lower cost. Shoulder rigs require the user to wear a jacket or coat at all times and are not appropriate for very hot or humid climates as such. Shoulder rigs are made in singles and doubles - unless you have a Bruce Willis fetish, a double is a total waste of money. shoulders do facilitate fast access and excellent draw position, They are a favorite among professionals.

Thunderwear, Bellybands, pager holsters, inside thigh rigs, ect.......

This is ALL inferior product, gadget junk  - nothing more need be said.

I hope this helped you on your journey to find the "right" holster for concealed carry. Take your time and try them on - you would NEVER buy a pair of leather shoes or boots without checking the fit - do the same with your holster choice. Stay away from generics - a holster that fits 20 guns doesn't fit one of them properly - get a custom molded or model specific product. Shop shop shop and ask questions. Keep your ammo fresh and your powder dry... and for god sakes watch your six!

Good Luck.